Pencil-sharpener.



N. SPANOVIC.

PENCIL SHARPENER. APPLICATION man Ec, 1914.

1 1 '72,066 Patentedv Feb. 15, 1916.

UNITED\ STATES PATENT FFICE..

NINKO SPANOVIC, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIQIR TG HERMAN A. PHILLIPS, 0F -W'ASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUTfBA.

PENCIL-SHARPENEB.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filed December 8; 1914. Serial No. 876,031.

To all whom it may concer/L Be it known that I. Nixno S11-movie, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh. in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newy and useful Improvements in Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in pencil Sharpeners of the reciprocat ing type and is designed to shave a chipV from the pencil as a means of providingl a point thereon.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a hand Sharpener for pencils that may be carried in the vest pocket, and is therefore of convenient size and shape for this purpose, or may be hung up at a convenient and accessible place for use when desired.

In a majority of the hand Sharpeners for pencils with which I am familiar there are numerous objectionable features, such as the breaking of the wood about the point, `the breaking of the lead, and the limitation of the Sharpener to only one size of point on the pencil. This is true of most hand sharpeners of the rotary type, while the hand Sharpeners of the reciprocating type are too complicated and therefore too expensive for universal use. vIn the embodiment of my invention in a pencil Sharpener I have successfully overcome these difficulties and provided a device that is used in manner similar to a` penknife for sharpening the pencil, but which takes off a uniform shaving or chip at each stroke, whether long or short, without the possibility of breaking the lead or wooden point of the pencil.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment ofmy invention, constructed according to the best mode I'have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of Inv invention.

Figure l is a` plan view of the pencil sharpener. Fig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4vis a perspective view of the device.

The device as embodied in its preferred form in the drawings has proven highly satisfactory in actual use as it is especially convenient in handling, the handle l heir-g of a convenient size to be lgrasped by the right hand of the user while he holds the pencil in the left hand to be sharpened, in the Same manner that a penltnife is used for this purpose. An end hole Zjis provided in the handle by which it may lbe suspendedy for use in an office room, or at a desk, etc., a nail or hook providing ai suitable mea s of support so that the device` will be in adtessible position at all times. N1.

The body of the device is bifurcated and fashioned with the forked ends 3 and 4 and these ends are separated by the open end slot 5 located midway of the forked ends. In Fig. 3 it will be seen that the lower surface of the body is horizontal, but the upper faces of the bifurcated ends are inclined toward the center, as indicated at 6 and 7.

Upon the inclined surface 7 the sharpening blade 8 is secured, and to accomplish `this pur gose, the bifurcated end 4 is provided w 'jmtwo threaded holes to accommodate the screws 9, 9, which are threaded therein. The blade is s'lottedf at 10, 10, to correspond with these holes and the Screws are passed through these slots and into the threaded holes to clamp the blade to the body of the Sharpener. The edge 11 of the blade, it will be seen, projects through the slot 5 in the body of the device, and this position of the blade with its projecting edge may be adj usted or changed as yrequirements change., by utilizing the presence of the two slots in the blade to slide the blade toward or away from the slot 5. For a thick chip or shaving the blade is adjusted so that its edge will project a suitable distance through the slot. but for a thinner chip or shaving, the blade edge will be withdrawn from the slot. This adjustment'may be ascertained by experiment, as the blade may be moved with facility and despatch, and the desired .size of chip may be adjusted to different wants or requirements.

In using the device, as before stated, it is held in the hand similar to holding a penknife with the pencil in the left hand. By cutting away from oneself each reciprocating stroke of the Sharpener Will shave a chip from the pencil without the necessity of close attention from the operator, as the end 3 of the body acts as a guard for the cutter or Sharpener. Thus when the sharpener is applied to the pencil the end 3 irst contacts with the pencil and slides over it as the cut is made, and this end portion 3 insures a smooth and free movement of the cutting blade. The guard piece 3 also prevents breaking of the end of the pointed stick of lead, as it slides over the point and prevents the cutting edge of the knife from digging either into the Wood, or into the lead. And after the guard has passed off of the point of the pencil, it will be readily understood that the bifurcated end 4 Will slide over the point with a smooth and easy motion and Without danger of breaking the point ihereof.

The open end slot 5 and the knife blade extending the entire length of this slot permit a draw out.7 on the pencil point from one end of the blade to 'the other end and because of the presence of the open end to the slot, the Sharpener clears itself of chips, by passing the chips through the open end of the slot a'nd thus disposing of each chip as it is cut. rllhe blade of course is tempered to harden it, and it Will be evident that the blade may be removed and replaced with fa- Cility when it is desired to sharpen it.

The device in the drawings is a right hand device, but it will be understood that a left hand device may also be provided, by changing the cutting blade to the other side 0f the slot '5.

A pencil Sharpener comprising a Abody member and a handle arranged longitudinally of each other, with an open end longitudinally extending slot bifurcating the body member, said member having its upper surface declining toward the slot and a blade fixed to said surface with its cuttingl edge protruding into the slot.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NINKO SPANOVIC.

Vitnesses:

Anxo J. Voio'r, JAMES J. MANDER 

